Our memories play a large role in our appreciation of our friends and loved ones. If you put in some effort, you can make your memory sharp. Read the stellar tips below, and strengthen your brain function and memory.

You can improve your memory through games designed to simulate your brain. This works in the same way as exercising to keep your body in good shape. You can increase your memory skills, focus and concentration by exercising your brain. Try brain teasers, crosswords and word searches, for instance.

If you need to retain a great deal of information, you may find it useful to regularly switch up your study locations. If you’re stuck in the same location learning material, then you will associate material with only specific location. When you study the information in a variety of places, it is more likely to be stored in your long-term memory.

Pay close attention to help sharpen your memory. If your mind constantly wanders, you won’t properly absorb information. Focus your mind and free your thoughts from distractions. Actively think about what you are learning to form connections in your brain.

You should write sticky notes if you are having a difficult time remembering things. Place them in spots you frequently look at, like by your cell phone or computer. Think of these sticky notes as an aid to your memory.

Your brain is similar to a muscle. It can become weak if you don’t exercise it often. Research shows puzzles can ward off senility.

Social activity is critical for optimizing your memory. This works to keep you alert, and your spirits high. Blue moods and feelings of depression deprive your mind of much-needed stimulation. Your mind stays strong when you are involved in stimulating conversations.

If you have to remember something, associate this idea with a word, a song or an image. Utilizing humorous elements in order to enliven the information will help you remember it down the road.

A strategy that helps to increase your memory is to try to visualize those things you need to remember or recall. If you’re studying information from textbooks, charts and photographs can act as a good visual cue to aid you in storing the information into your memory. You may even want to make your own graphs and charts to aid you in this memory process.

Take a few moments to link the information that needs to be memorized to something that has already been committed to memory. Developing such organic ties greatly boosts your likelihood of permanently cataloging the new information. This exercise will also speed up your ability to memorize.

The occasional memory lapse that causes you to forget an anniversary or birthday may seem trivial, even humorous, at first. That is, until you find yourself having difficulties recalling many important dates. This may be just the beginning of your loss of memory. Memories play a large part in a person’s emotional health, which makes it especially important to protect them.…